WTCC to become a 'World Cup' for 2018

The FIA is set to rebrand its World Touring Car Championship as the "World Touring Car Cup," with ratification by the international motorsport governing body's World Motor Sport Council of the decision to adopt the regulations of the TCR International Series for 2018-19.

The move, which follows a cooperative agreement between the organizers of the respective series, will see the new FIA World Touring Car Cup be promoted by Eurosport Events Limited. The Cup will run to FIA TCR Regulations for 2018-19 which will remain frozen for this period. Only TCR cars with an FIA World Cup passport delivered by the FIA will be eligible to compete.

The Cup will replace the TCR International Series and is for private entries only, with no manufacturer title or entries permitted. A minimum of two cars per team must be entered, with a fee of 150,000 euros [$177,000] applicable for a two-car team. There will be a maximum entry of 26 cars, and FIA-validated balance of performance and success ballast systems will be implemented.

A schedule was not announced, but it is expected to retain most of the WTCC's events. This year the WTCC featured 10 doubleheader races in 10 different countries.

The decision to adopt TCR's TC1 regulations is intended to broaden the base of entries, which had dwindled in the WTCC in recent years. Only Honda and Volvo fielded works WTCC entries this year.

Frenchman Jean-Karl Vernay won this year's TCR driver's championship in a VW Golf GTI, while Sweden's Thed Bjork (pictured) was crowned the 14th and last World Touring Car champion with his Volvo at the finale in Qatar last weekend.